Refresh Rate and V-Sync

Refresh Rate and V-Sync

Refresh rate is how many times per second your monitor updates its image, measured in hertz. A 60 Hz monitor updates 60 times per second. A 144 Hz monitor updates 144 times per second. Higher refresh rates make motion look smoother and reduce perceived lag. This is why gaming monitors have high refresh rates, and why even phone screens are moving to 120 Hz and beyond.

The human eye does not see in frames per second, but higher refresh rates do make a visible difference. The improvement from 60 Hz to 144 Hz is dramatic. Motion is much smoother, and fast-paced games feel more responsive. The improvement from 144 Hz to 240 Hz is smaller but still noticeable to most people. Beyond 240 Hz, the returns diminish significantly.

V-Sync, or vertical synchronization, is a technique that synchronizes the GPU's frame output with the monitor's refresh rate. When V-Sync is enabled, the GPU waits for the monitor to finish refreshing before sending a new frame. This eliminates screen tearing, but it introduces input lag because the GPU has to wait. It also causes stuttering when the frame rate drops below the refresh rate.

The alternative to V-Sync is to leave it disabled and accept some screen tearing in exchange for lower input lag. Many competitive gamers prefer this because input lag matters more than visual quality. With a high refresh rate monitor, tearing is less noticeable because each tear line is visible for a shorter time. At 240 Hz, tearing is barely visible.

The best solution is variable refresh rate technology like G-Sync or FreeSync, which combines the benefits of V-Sync without the downsides. With VRR, you get no tearing, no stuttering, and minimal input lag. If your monitor and GPU support VRR, use it. If not, the choice between V-Sync and no V-Sync depends on whether you prioritize visual quality or input lag.